This invention relates to connectors for optical fibers and more particularly to fiber optic clamps for securing fibers within a connector.
In recent years, communications via fiber optics has enjoyed a rapid rate of growth. The advantages of transmission over fiber optic cables include increased capacity and the elimination of undesirable interference and cross-talk which may be present in conventional electrically conducting wire cables. Such optical fibers typically have a small active core area, particularly when employed in long distance applications, and require tightly controlled tolerances for connections which provide minimum loss of transmitted light.
To control the tolerances, fibers must be accurately cut or positioned relative to defined elements within fiber optic connectors so that the ends of two fibers can be accurately positioned relative to one another or contacted with one another with little overtravel. Individual fibers typically are clamped and then cut relative to the clamp. The design of the fiber clamp is very important since the clamp must secure the fiber tightly enough to withstand connecting forces due to abutment of fiber ends but not so tightly as to induce micro bend losses through stress deformation of the fiber. The design of the clamp is further complicated by the minute sizes of the fibers being clamped, e.g., a few thousandths of an inch in diameter for typical optical fibers.
Exemplary of existing fiber clamps is that of an hermaphroditic scissors type clamp which is disclosed in Lumpp and Margolin U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,163.